Busselton - East
Statistical Area - sa2

Busselton - East lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Busselton - East's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 10,323. This figure represents an increase of 964 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,359. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,031 in June 2024 and an additional 447 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 126 persons per square kilometer. Busselton - East's growth rate of 10.3% since the 2021 census surpassed both the national average (8.6%) and the non-metro area average, indicating significant growth in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 35.4% to the overall population gains during recent periods, with all migration drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch employs the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future demographic trends project above median population growth for locations outside capital cities. Based on the latest population numbers, Busselton - East is expected to grow by 1,755 persons to reach a total of 12,078 by 2041, recording an overall gain of 14.1% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Busselton - East among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Busselton - East has received approximately 115 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports this data on a financial year basis, totaling 576 homes over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 11 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 new residents arrive per new home each year over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand, stable market conditions, and an average construction value of $576,000 per dwelling, slightly above the regional average. This financial year has seen $40.7 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity.

Compared to the Rest of WA, Busselton - East shows 12.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 92nd percentile nationally, suggesting strong developer confidence. Recent construction comprises 99.0% detached dwellings and 1.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density character focused on family homes. With around 69 people per approval, Busselton - East is a developing area expected to gain 1,459 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, benefiting buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Population forecasts indicate Busselton - East will gain 1,459 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Busselton - East has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 12thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 23 projects that are likely to impact the area, with key projects including Home HQ Busselton, Busselton Health Campus Expansion, City of Busselton Local Planning Scheme No. 22, and Brown Street Busselton. The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

AreaSearch assessment positions Busselton - East ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Busselton - East has a skilled workforce with strong manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.2% in June 2025, matching Rest of WA's rate.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.2%. As of June 2025, 5,339 residents were employed. The area has notable concentration in accommodation & food employment, which is 1.6 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 2.6% of local workers, below Rest of WA's 9.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio indicates above-normal local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 6.2%, labour force by 5.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of WA had employment growth of 1.1%, labour force growth of 0.5%, with unemployment falling by 0.6 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Busselton - East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Busselton - East's median income among taxpayers was $49,188 with an average of $64,961. These figures align with national averages and compare to Rest of WA's levels of $57,323 and $71,163 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $54,899 (median) and $72,503 (average). Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly in Busselton - East, between the 27th and 32nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 29.5% of residents (3,045 people), reflecting regional patterns where 31.1% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 25th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Busselton - East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Busselton - East, as per the latest Census evaluation, 89.7% of dwellings were houses while 10.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is similar to Non-Metro WA's dwelling structure which comprises 89.8% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Busselton - East was 37.4%, with mortgaged properties at 35.2% and rented ones at 27.4%. These figures align with Non-Metro WA's statistics. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, $1,733, is the same as the Non-Metro WA average. Similarly, the median weekly rent figure of $360 matches Non-Metro WA's figure. Nationally, Busselton - East's median mortgage repayments are lower at $1,733 compared to Australia's average of $1,863. Meanwhile, rents in Busselton - East are less than the national average weekly rent of $375.

Busselton - East has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.3 percent of all households, including 25.2 percent couples with children, 34.6 percent couples without children, and 10.6 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.7 percent, with lone person households at 25.9 percent and group households making up 2.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of WA average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Busselton - East fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has lower university qualification rates than the Australian average, with 18.0% compared to 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.0% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 30.2%. Educational participation is high, with 26.1% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (9.6%), secondary (9.1%), and tertiary (2.0%).

Busselton - East's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,339 students. The area has balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 988) with one primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 13.0 compared to 16.5, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis shows 58 active stops operating within Busselton - East, served by buses. These stops are covered by 4 routes, offering 341 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have limited transport access, with an average distance of 1077 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency is 48 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 5 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Busselton - East is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Busselton - East faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, higher than the average SA2 area's 49%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (9.6%) and mental health issues (9.3%). 65.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.5% in Rest of WA. As of June 2021, 21.2% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,188 people), higher than the 20.0% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Busselton - East ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Busselton-East, surveyed in June 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 78.5% of residents born in Australia and 87.9% being citizens. English was the sole language spoken at home by 93.9%. Christianity dominated religiously, comprising 46.2%.

Islam, however, was overrepresented at 1.0%, compared to the Rest of WA's 0.4%. Ancestry-wise, the top groups were English (36.1%), Australian (28.2%), and Scottish (8.0%). Notably, South African ancestry was higher than regional averages at 0.7% versus 0.6%. Dutch and New Zealand ancestries also showed slight overrepresentation at 1.6% vs 1.7% and 0.8% vs 1.0%, respectively.

Busselton - East hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Busselton - East's median age in 2021 was 45 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of WA average of 40 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile showed that the 45-54 year-old group was particularly prominent at 14.2%, while the 5-14 year-old group was comparatively smaller at 11.5% than in Rest of WA. Between 2021 and the present, the population of 25 to 34-year-olds has grown from 10.0% to 11.7%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has increased from 11.2% to 12.5%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 year-old group has declined from 14.4% to 12.1%, and the 5-14 year-old group has dropped from 12.6% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Busselton - East, with the strongest projected growth in the 25 to 34 cohort at 51%, adding 612 residents to reach 1,822. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 85+ and 15 to 24 cohorts.